Archive forApril, 2007

A lot of things happened very fast yesterday. I wrote an update at around noon only to find that we’d lost cable. We kept power until two or so. It got a little chilly, but we managed. We went down to visit our neighbors, and found them ignoring the fact that the river was fast approaching their house. In the hour and a half I was there it must have risen a foot. I’ve posted about the river rising before, but not since the flood had I seen anything like this.
We went up and I made tea on my little pepsi stove. Dad and I rigged up a grill for it so I wouldn’t have to hold the pan. We all went to rest for a little while, but I found myself pretty anxious. Really- a long time ago I climbed a tree to a branch about adult head height and fell out into the river. (Which was annoying.) The river was touching that branch. *Shivers*
At about three we got a call from Sharon and Dori. They’d been ordered to evacuate. Than was at Uncle Dan’s helping out in their basement, which was full of two and a half feet of water (and rising.) All the neighbors turned out to help D and S- we stripped their little house clean and carried everything up to our house, Gram Jet’s, and the Randalls’ across the street. They were obviously a little dazed. It was quite an operation…Dori, Than and I spent a good two thirds of the time we worked running full speed up and down the hill in the rain, carrying things like keyboards, backpacks of food, Dori’s Harry Potter books (she was thinking of leaving them, but I said no way!), and Dori’s cat, Sunshine. Needless to say, by the end I was drenched, worried, and exhausted.
We left them to watch the river a while longer, and I took over at home. I really enjoy the challenge of making something out of nothing, so I had fun, despite the stress. Dad and I ran out to the store to buy a camera, a somke detector, batteries, and a little rescue-chocolate. Part of an adjoining street was blocked off. We went down past the mill at the other end of the street, and were shocked by the huge volume of slow traffic. When we reached the bridge (which is directly next to a mill which uses water and therefore causes a waterfall) we were even more shocked to discover water pouring out of the building and into the street. No joke, it looked like the river was backed into the mill and running out from under all the doors. The waterfall was more powerful than I can remember seeing it. We found a store with power and got what we needed, then headed home, snapping pictures along the way. We stopped down the street from our house to get more photographs of the high water.
When we got home, I lit my stove and began heating some frozen vegetables, then used Than’s ingenious candle system to take a shower. We had just enough hot water left over for three five minute showers. Lights were out and the window is blocked, so we used tapers and tea lights for light and left the door open so we wouldn’t die of smoke inhalation.
I managed to get dinner together after organizing the kitchen, making rules about the fridge, and assigning one color cup to everyone. We had hot vegetables, cold sliced roast from last meal, and buttered bread, followed by rapidly melting ice cream and fruit cobbler. (We had to use some food up. )
Then Sharon and Dori called. They were coming up. Power returned at eight. The river hadn’t yet reached their house, but city hall had said that high tide was at 11, so they should stay somewhere else. They stayed with us overnight and left a half hour ago to check their house. They said they’d be back only if it was underwater, and as we haven’t seen them yet, I am guessing that their house is okay.

Whew. The last time this happened, I was six. I don’t really remember it that well, I only remember being very excited by all the water and all the people. This one was a lot less fun and a little less destructive…so far.

Thank you for the prayers. We are hoping to get out today, but we aren’t sure how well that can be managed as some bridges seem to be closed. Than has a friend who lives on Wells beach, and we suspect they had to evacuate. I think many of our other friends are without power, a very large portion of Southern Maine is in the dark. We’re lucky to have our power back.

Excecrations. We woke up this morning to incredible winds and a downpour. Than and I ventured outside at about seven thirty, swaddled in windbreakers, sweatshirts, and ponchos, and went down to look at the river. We were soaked through in a matter of minutes. The river is higher than it’s been in quite a while.
Eleven years ago, three days of rain produced severe flooding, and our friends and neighbors the Schulbergers had to evacuate. Their house was full of water up to the bookcases, and they stayed with us for three days. Afterwards, we helped them rebuild. I remember breaking apart soggy walls with a hammer at age six.
Mom called Sharon and Dori this morning (they live in a trailer at the river’s edge, this is the Presumpscot we’re talking about), and Sharon said that after fifteen minutes on hold she’d just got through to city hall. At ten o’clock they are going to assess the danger and order evacuations if necessary. The ground was waterlogged to begin with, and we’re supposed to get heavy rain through Wednesday I think, so I’m not exactly sure how the river could not flood. River Rd. is already closed.
Than discovered two inches of water in our basement when we got up this morning, and Dad is taking off work to deal with it. He’s downstairs now, plastic trash bags over his boots, working on the sump pump and fishing his computer equipment to safety. I think it’s all okay. Unfortunately, he just informed us that the furnace and the hot water heater are out, due to the water. Thrilling. I’ve put some potatoes in the oven and turned it on high; that should help keep the house warm while we still have power. Hopefully we won’t lose it, as fun as that would be for the first day or so. Hey, we might actually get a chance to use my pepsi-can stove! It can heat water easily for oatmeal and hot chocolate, and if we really need to do dishes…

So. Mom and I were supposed to be visiting Gordon today, but that’s all right. This is more fun.

Yesterday Mom dropped me off at the Konczals (they’re polish. It’s pronounced KON-zal.) so Mrs. K could take me to 4H at the Dodds’. What I didn’t know is that she’d never been to the Dodds’, way over in Hiram. The car ride was great, the two of us got talking and we were in New Hampshire before we realized we had no idea where we were. I think we drove around for an hour and a half, maybe even two hours, stopping at gas stations for directions. We finally made it to the Dodds’, after everyone else had left.
We visited for a while, then headed home (which took considerably less time because by that time we knew where we were going). It was nice to catch up with her. We talked a lot about C.S. Lewis, about gender roles, and about the harm feminism has done to women and girls. It was a cloudy day, but sometimes when it’s snowy cloudy days are the most beautiful. We both enjoyed the ride, because it’s impossible to be unhappy when you’re driving around in Maine. Scotch pines and mountains everywhere. That’s what life is about.
I arrived home to a frustrated dad and antifreeze gushing out of our one car. Apparently the van is out of action, and this is the worst possible time for that to happen. Please pray- we’ve been really needing another car so we can go our different ways, and the one we have just broke. >.< I can’t complain much, however! God has hugely blessed us with this van. It was $4000 and we’ve had it for a few years now- having always functioned on used cars this one has served us well. And who knows! Maybe it hasn’t croaked yet.
Well. Aunt Margaret and her friend Tim are coming to dinner tomorrow, and I’m cooking. I probably ought to get some of that done today. I hope everyone’s doing well!

This morning my alarm went off at five thirty. I lay awake in my bed for forty-five minutes. Then I got up, got dressed, had a stomach ache, and broke my favorite teapot. Within ten minutes I’d snapped at my mom, felt horrible about it, and apologized. It’s six thirty and I am so frustrated.